Across Spokane and across the country, our communities are strongest when we look out for one another and stand up for our rights.
When immigration enforcement targets our neighbors, workplaces are often on the front lines. Yet many workers and businesses still lack clear information about their constitutional protections when Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agents appear.
PJALS is partnering with Washington Neighborhood Defense (WAND) to build a local volunteer canvassing team that shares know-your-rights materials, signage, and rapid response tools with workplaces across Spokane County. This effort helps strengthen community readiness and ensures more workplaces understand their rights and options.
This interactive training will prepare you to support that work. Participants will learn the basics of workplace rights, how to approach and communicate with local businesses, and how to build ongoing relationships with workers, managers, and owners as part of long-term organizing. The training will also explore how canvassing connects to broader collective action strategies, including the role general strikes can play in challenging authoritarian policies and protecting our communities.
Through guided roleplay exercises, you’ll practice real canvassing conversations and build confidence in sharing rights-based information in workplace settings.
Participation in the training does not obligate you to volunteer. However, those interested will have the opportunity to join the pilot workplace canvassing program following the session.
Washington Neighborhood Defense (WAND) is an all-volunteer, statewide network that has generously shared their materials and expertise with PJALS. If you would like to support their work in providing canvass materials to communities across Washington, you are encouraged to donate. PJALS will provide all necessary materials for participants in the Spokane County canvassing program.
In this training, you will learn how to:
- Explain basic Fourth Amendment protections in workplace encounters with ICE and CBP
- Approach workplaces and build relationships with workers, managers, and owners
- Share rights-based information and rapid response tools, including whistle best practices
- Track outreach and document workplace engagement to support coordinated organizing
- Understand how workplace organizing connects to broader resistance strategies, including general strikes
Together, we can ensure more workplaces in Spokane know their rights, are connected to their neighbors, and are prepared to stand together when our communities are targeted.
Event Details
📆 Wednesday, April 29
⏰ 5:30pm – 7:30pm
📍 Location shared after registration
🍕 Pizza and light refreshments will be provided
If you do not receive a confirmation email after registering, please check your spam folder and add [email protected] to your contacts to ensure you receive event updates.